


A New Love In New York

by Trytoescapeit



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Harry likes nuts, M/M, New York, They're both stuggling college students who just want to go on a date, louis works in a Nuts for Nuts cart in Manhattan, none of the boys are mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 02:50:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4462643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trytoescapeit/pseuds/Trytoescapeit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The silver cart glistens with all the city lights reflecting off of it, Forever 21 lights and the advertisement screen lights are the brightest. But then the man behind the cart looks up and Harry decides that his eyes are the brightest. So blue that his eyes water just from looking into them. Harry squints because he thinks he could even see the different shades of blue that make them up. The man smiles wide and clears his voice. </p><p>"I wouldn't stare too long if I were you; in this weather your pretty eyes will dry up and burn," the man says before he licks his mouth. His mouth, that which by the way, is a perfect shade of pink that Harry can't help but look. He looks up then because he'd been staring too long at the stranger for it to pass off as an indecisive decision on what he wants. Harry brings his pointer to his chin and looks at the options dazedly just for show as to not seem like a creep but the stranger lets out a giggle and Harry's eyes snap up to his in an instant.</p><p>OR<br/>Louis works in a Nuts for Nuts food cart in the middle of Manhattan and Harry's hungry and invites Louis to dinner but they're both broke but go anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Love In New York

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by Ed Shheran's song New York, lovely song. Please comment what you think, I would really appreciate. Always lovely to hear from you. Erm, I'm on tumblr at trytoescapeit, like my username here is. Even if you have negative feedback, I would still be appreciative. I have a larry mix on 8tracks so if you want to listen to that, my username on there is liams_little_things_.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy, it took me a week to write this.

New York's busy this time of night, this time of day. It's a Saturday and Harry should've known better then to walk the crowded streets where he's now being pushed and shoved between business people. Their heeled shoes click obnoxiously against the smooth pavement and maybe he shouldn't be used to the amount of polluted air he's inhaling at the moment but he is and he can't even tell the difference between the smell of the cars' engine smoke to the gas being expelled from the pot holes. It's perfectly fine though because at least they mask the smell of cigarette smoke. Every time he passes a person with a dangling cigarette between their fingers with the bottom lit in an eerily red orange fire, he makes a show of coughing obscenely until they drop it to the floor and stomp on the thing, killing it before it kills them. So, really, they should be thanking him. 

 

Anyway, it's six o' clock and its December so the sun had set just a few minutes ago but the lights that surround him light the place up beautifully, brighter then the sun. His stomach's growling and he's got stomach pains for some reason. His last meal was at two pm after his interview which is exactly why he's wondering the Manhattan streets aimlessly hoping to not get pit-pocketed not like he's got anything worth stealing off of him because he doesn't. Just a few dollars enough for a pretzel or something from the food carts littering almost every corner. And he's got his watch but it's a knock-off so nothing he can't replace. He supposed he should feel compelled to worry about someone stealing his IDs and credit cards but truth be told, his credit's rather treacherous and it'd be a relief for someone to steal his identity at the moment. Maybe they'd clean up his mess for him. 

 

Harry stops his walking when he's at the corner of a block that was _really_ long, long enough for the heels of his feel to hurt when they come down to collide with the hard cement. The pedestrians street light's stuck  on red and Harry looks on either side to see if he can run across before any cars pass but _of course_ cars are zooming all around him so he doesn't even stand a chance. And there's a food cart, no shocker, standing near him and he's conflicted. He can either spend the last of his money for the day on Nuts for Nuts or wait until he goes home to stop by the market and get a cup of noodles. His decision was properly made, he even outlined the pros and cons for each and although Nuts for Nuts deserves to be a loser it's not because he's stood in front of it with his wallet in his hand waiting to be attended. A sweet smell engulfs his nostrils and he should feel sick if the smell after smelling it for so long but it's a really nice smell that makes his stomach grumble longer and louder.

 

 

The silver cart glistens with all the city lights reflecting off of it, Forever 21 lights and the advertisement screen lights are the brightest. But then the man behind the cart looks up and Harry decides that his eyes are the brightest. So blue that his eyes water just from looking into them. Harry squints because he thinks he could even see the different shades of blue that make them up. The man smiles wide and clears his voice. 

 

"I wouldn't stare too long if I were you; in this weather your pretty eyes will dry up and burn," the man says before he licks his mouth. His mouth, that which by the way, is a perfect shade of pink that Harry can't help but look. He looks up then because he'd been staring too long at the stranger for it to pass off as an indecisive decision on what he wants. Harry brings his pointer to his chin and looks at the options dazedly just for show as to not seem like a creep but the stranger lets out a giggle and Harry's eyes snap up to his in an instant. 

 

"What?" Harry defends allowing a smile to take over his face. His lips are chapped and they sting where they're stretched but he doesn't stop the smile, only lets it falter. For less then seconds. 

 

"Nothing, it's just that you seem like you're trying to make a decision when there are only nuts here," the stranger says with amusement lingering in his tone, smile showing the peaks of his teeth, eyes crinkling. Harry flushes. 

 

"Just seeing which nuts seem the most appetizing," Harry mutters and then his eyes widen, "not- not that any of your nuts are not appetizing because I wouldn't know it's just-- I'm just looking for the prettiest ones because sometimes these nuts can be burned or something. Not that I don't trust your cooking skills or roasting skills it's just-," Harry sighs when he's noticed it's enough of his rambling,  "you've got very pretty eyes."

 

Now Louis' blushing; his cheeks turning a vibrant shade of pink. Harry even thinks that his eyes are even sparkling brighter; giving the lights strung over New York a run for their money. 

 

"Thank you," Louis says and he seems to have regained confidence because he's leaning in closer, "you can even compliment my ass, but these nuts won't be free."

 

Harry laughs at that and he can absolutely imagine his chapped lips bleeding over the pressure but he doesn't even mind at the moment, nope, not one bit. 

 

"S'not what I was going for but I suppose I can see where you can think that. Do you get people like that often?" Harry asks before he's whisked away with a bustling crowd. He side-steps people to return back to the stranger with sparkling. 

 

"Just on a side note, to survive these streets, you can walk around people. You've got to push and shove, elbow a few people if you actually want progress, got it? And yes, I get quite a few customers trying to get a freebee out of me by compliments. Mostly teenaged girls, none as handsome as you but _still,"_ Louis says simply and shrugs his shoulders. The movement makes Harry's eyes linger around his chest where the man's collar bones are beautifully exposed. A tattoo runs across them like ink staining a pure river; the words _It Is What It Is_ written in cursive. 

 

"I'll keep that in mind," Harry smiles, "I should hope so that I am a tad more handsome then your usual hungry teenage girl admirers."

 

The man rolls his eyes playfully and picks up two greasy bag of nuts, his eyes flirting around the area like he knows what he's doing. He probably does seeing as he's in the middle of everything; in the middle of the busy pedestrians and twinkling lights. The smoke sticks to his skin in the form of humid sweat that Harry thinks looks rather attractive. Like he's glowing, absorbing the light rays around him. He hands him the two bags with a smirk; their fingers grazing and Harry possibly thinks this guy's got the smoothest skin he's ever had the pleasure of touching. 

 

"How about this," the stranger squeaks, "you pay for one and get the other free. I've got to pack up soon anyway and that'd be one less bag to throw out."

 

Harry closes his eyes and sets his hands on the cart so he can lean in closer to the man. He opens them then to find Louis looking up at him already. 

 

"What's your name?" He asks and the man raises his eyebrows as if he's surprised. 

 

"It depends on what you want to do with it," he counters and pops a nut in his mouth. He instantly makes a face and spits out on the floor in disgust, "ironically so, nuts are not my forte. Nope, no nuts for me. Unless we're talking about a whole different kind of nuts. The nuts at which I excel in," he winks; his cheeks tinged pink. 

 

"Well then we can go eat at Johnny Rockets or something," Harry perks up, "I'm Harry by the way." 

 

"Louis," he supplies and rolls his eyes while his hands swift over his materials. He moves from behind the cart, a key materializes to his hands and he locks up the thing before collecting the four bags of food that was left. He hands them to Harry before he can even protest and starts walking. He's short, is the first thing Harry thinks as _Louis_ walks ahead of him. The second thing is that he's not walking in the direction of Johnny Rockets. 

 

"Louis, Johnny Rockets is the other way," he calls but follows Louis nonetheless. Louis slows his pace so they can fall into step; which they do, beautifully Harry thinks. Louis' a whole head shorter and Harry's basking in it. 

 

"Yeah but the Forest Gump restaurant is right here," he insists. If Harry can subtly string his arm over Louis' shoulders that'd be great but he has a feeling Louis would definitely say something so he stops himself. 

 

"Have you even ever watched the movie?" 

 

"No but their fries are really good," Louis says and Harry picks up his pace because the restaurant is nearing and he is determined to hold the door open for Louis; after all, he was the one who practically asked Louis out. Louis seemed to have caught on because his pace quickens too and they're both sprinting down the blocks of Manhattan, dodging people that don't move themselves. The air's clipping though and Harry made the stupid mistake of licking his chapped cracked lips that now sting like a burn. Thankfully they make to the restaurant, Louis being the one to hold the door open. He smiles victoriously. 

 

"I asked _you_ out so I should hold the door open," Harry simply says but strolls in anyway. He walks to the woman doused in a uniform holding menus and a cap on her head. 

 

"Hello," she greets sweetly with her pink cheeks, she takes her hat off her head making her blonde hair cascade over her shoulders, "table for two?" 

 

""Yes, please," Louis answers for him. Harry smiles as he's being lead to a table in the back. He tries, he really does try not look at Louis' back side but he's walking in front of him and his body naturally sways. Even the curve of his back leading to his butt is memorizing. He drags his eyes back up Louis' body until he stops at his face that unfortunately stares back at him. 

 

"I wasn't checking you out," Harry lies and he slides himself into the booth. Louis does the same across from him. The restaurant's littered with pictures from the movie and the tables wooden. Barely any light shines through the place and Harry's mostly disappointed because he wants to see Louis' eyes twinkle with it. They're not though, he still looks just as gorgeous with the little light against his soft cheeks. Harry wants to use pastels to color him on paper and maybe possibly water colors too. He's not artistic though so he only looks. 

 

"I didn't say you were, unless it's just that guilty conscious of yours," he teases. 

 

"I'm Chelsey, I'll be your waitress for the evening," the blonde woman announces, "are you guys ready to order?" She takes her notepad out of the front of her half apron along with a pen. She poises it to the paper patiently. 

 

"I'll just have fries," Louis pipes and he leans his head against the wall. 

 

"Same," Harry says. He really wants a sandwich but he's not the best financially. The waitress nods her head and moves to leave but then turns back to them. 

 

"Drinks," she reminds, "what would you like for your drinks?"

 

"I'll have water," they both say and then smile afterwards. She nods and then goes to the back of the kitchen. Harry rests his gaze on Louis then, not to subtly as he had hoped because Louis has a small smirk resting on his face.

 

"You seem like you're not from here, so what were you doing here today?" Louis asks politely. He takes the salt shaker conveniently resting on the side table. Shaking the thing, the salt grains fall soundlessly on the hardwood table. More salt falls then Louis had expected judging by t he cringe that soon follows at the heap of salt on his side of the table. He curses under his breath before shrugging and running his fingers in figures of eights and dragging his eyes up at Harry's face.

 

"I don't think I look _that_ out of place," Harry defends himself, "I moved from Pennsylvania because I just got a job offer in the city. I was just going home when I got lost, this is a big city and it's like it repositions itself every block you pass just to confuse you," he lamely jokes with a chuckle at the end. Louis laughs too so maybe the joke wasn't that lame after all.

 

"You looked like a right mess, Harry. You didn't even want to bump into anyone out there. I don't if you've ever been in a crowded area but bumping into people is going to happen to you," Louis talks matter-of-factly with much conviction that Harry just nods. He looks down at the table to check on the mess Louis probably made bigger. Sure enough, Louis now has specks of salt dusting his black sweater and Harry thinks he even sees some in the guy's hair. Louis makes it look like he meant to do it, like it's a new fashion trend.

 

"How'd  you manage to get salt in your hair?"

 

"I don't quite know. There's some in yours too if it makes any consolation. Looks rather nice on you, too." The waitress comes back with their drinks in toll; the water slouches out of their cups over the rim as she sets them on the table. If she sees the mess on the table, she expertly ignores it. Harry thinks she might have applied a dark red lipstick while she was gone and unbuttoned the top buttons of her shirt. Maybe he just didn't notice before though.

 

"Your orders will be here shortly. Is there anything else you'd like?"

 

Louis an Harry both shake their heads and when she's gone Louis turns to Harry with amusement in his eyes.

 

"She's flirting with you," he practically whispers as he draws his straw into his mouth. He's met with a paper wrapper on the top of it though and makes a show of spitting it out on the table with disgust.

 

"No she isn't," Harry counters, "she keeps looking over at you more then me."

 

Louis nods but then, "She took your straw wrapper off for you but not me." They both laugh silently leaving Louis with pride spreading through him. Harry can see it; with his prideful smirk and glinting in his eyes.

 

"I knew she wasn't wearing red lipstick before," Harry mumbles to Louis.

 

"Or that she was fully clothed. Take advantage Harry, we can probably get like an order of buffalo chicken or something," he challenges just as the waitress comes up with two orders of fries.

 

"Two fries," she says excitedly and places them in front of the two, "if you need anything just call my name," she points to her name tag resting on her breast pocket. In neat handwriting it reads 'Chelsey' and Harry's pretty sure she already introduced herself. If he squints he thinks he can just make up a phone number. When he looks up from her name tag  to look at her, she's already smiling  and with a flutter of her eyelashes, she's gone.

 

"Did you just check her out," Louis deadpans while putting a fry in his mouth. There's no ketchup on it and Harry cringes. He's practically eating potatoes with no seasoning. Yuck.

 

"What _man_ do you take me as," Harry says with disbelief dripping from his tone, "I like to think of this as our first date."

 

"I don't know, maybe you're bisexual or fluid or something. You were definitely looking at her chest," Louis says as he puts more fries in his mouth. Harry starts his meal, if it's even that, by taking the ketchup and zig-zagging it across the fries. He could see Louis' disgust as he does so.

 

"Nuh-uh, don't give _me_ that look with your tasteless taste buds. You probably like prune juice or something," Harry smiles and puts a fry with too much ketchup in his mouth. He doesn't let Louis see his disgust though, nope not at all.

 

"I don't even know what prune juice _is_ ," he defends, "I bet  it's better than ketchup though. You're nasty, I've just decided. You've got bad taste."

 

"But when I saw you I thought you were rather beautiful. Was that bad taste then, Louis?" Harry raises is eyebrow in question. His fries are almost gone and he's still hungry. Damn his appetite.

 

"Well I should be offended," Louis finally answers and sits back in his seat. He's done with his meal so Harry eats his last fry and surveys the room for Chelsey who's already making her way to them.

 

"I wasn't checking her out by the way. She wrote her number on her name tag," Harry just wants to clear that up but Louis just rolls his eyes.

 

"That makes it better?"

 

"No not like that," he rushes, "I was just trying to see what it was. I'll have you know that I am strictly gay. Kinsey's scale's got nothing on me."

 

" _Oh_ , he knows psychology," Louis beams sarcastically.

 

"It was high school course," he laughs and  the waitress appears with a check. Harry inwardly groans when she passes it to him. She walks away and when Harry looks down at it, her number is written on the recite. Harry coughs obscenely.

 

"What? What's it say? If it has her number you're paying," Louis proposes and then leans over to snatch it from him. His eyes skim it before landing on the neat handwriting with a number and a note saying "Call me ;)". Louis is absolutely gone with laughter that he doesn't even notice Harry prying the check from his hands.

 

"Erm, you know what Louis? I'm still in college, you know. My fourth year and as it is, I've got no job," Harry says wearily. Louis looks about the same, with a hint of disbelief.

 

"That's funny because I'm in the same predicament. I was taking over for a friend at the Nuts for Nuts stand for the last hour, hardly anyone wants nuts at this time," he muses.. It looks like he's on the brink of laughing his ass off, "how much money do you have on you?"

 

Harry struggles his hands into his jean pockets to retrieve a five dollar bill and fifty cents. He makes an appeasing sound because he was convinced he had less.

 

"What about you?" It's Louis' turn to check and he comes up with five dollars as well. They both look at the check at the same time to see the disappointing _$13.15_. They both groan as Chelsey reappears.

 

"Are you guys ready to pay?"

 

Harry looks at Louis expectantly but Louis whistles and looks away.

 

"Hello Chelsey," Harry says charmingly and ignores Louis' snort, he kicks him under the table, "We've only got ten dollars and fifty in total and the meal came up to thirteen and fifteen cents. It appears that none of us were well equipped to go on this date," he admits with a glare at Louis and an apologetic look at the woman. She seems more shocked then disturbed.

 

"Date?" She asks  and looks between the two. Louis nods before he can. Now she looks frustrated _and_ angry. 

 

"You let me flirt with you the whole night while you were on a date?" she asks angrily at Harry. He's so confused because if he recalls, he never really encouraged her.

 

"Yes he did," Louis responds for him. He makes himself look vulnerable and childlike that Harry's so impressed.

 

"That's awful," she says and turns to fully look at Louis, "if I had known you two were on a date, I wouldn't have flirted," she assures and Louis nods frantically.

 

"Of course. You seem like a great person, I wouldn't have expected you to. And now we don't even have enough for the meal," he says exasperatedly, "he's the one who offered and I thought he'd pay." Harry just looks at Louis as he conjures up his one-man show, the waitress encouraging him and feeling so bad that she's nodding at every word that falls from his lips. His lips that look rather kissable at the moment.

 

"How about I make his do dishes to pay off the meal and you can leave and find yourself a better man, yeah?"

 

Louis nods at that looking gleeful, "I would love that, I'll help in do the dishes though. Make him feel guilty." She nods and then turns to Harry scoldingly.

 

"Alright then," she says as the two of them get up from their seats, "kitchen's over there. Joshua will tell you what to clean and you've got to stay for twenty minutes." As if on cue, a blonde haired man appears near them and is grabbing Louis and Harry by the wrists and leading them to the back. The kitchen's hectic with people moving about and different kinds of smells linger around them. They stop in front of a big sink with pots and plates with bits of different unfinished meals on them. Harry could see Louis groan more then hear him. He can't hear much actually with all of the clinking and yelling going around them. Joshua leaves them to it and Harry turns to Louis.

 

"You're a drama major," it's not a question, absolutely not a question. Louis' too much of a good liar. Harry turns away when Louis winks at him to address the dishes.

 

"I wash this half and you wash that half."

 

"You're half is smaller though," he argues; Harry rolls his eyes before switching places with him.

 

The next twenty minutes consists of soapy suds and water splashes, a few broken dishes and a lot of laughing. Louis is quite funny even though he was the one who dropped most of the plates. They throw out the evident before anyone sees though and soon they're in a yellow taxi cab leaning against each other with sleepy eyes and big smiles. Harry looks down at where Louis' head is resting on his lap and he doesn't even hesitate to kiss him lush on the lips like they'd been together for a lifetime. Harry thinks they just might though.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and kudos if you liked it and comments if you didn't?


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